Israel Matzav

My responses to the BBC panelists on the possible bombing of Iran

I listed again to the panelists on the BBC on Sunday discussing my interview (which was taped).

I have the following comments (and unfortunately, the producer's email is bouncing, but I hope she will see this post).

1. Gas masks - As I mentioned to you last week, the gas masks are not a response to Iran, but to Syria and potentially Hezbullah. Iran is believed to be a nuclear threat, but less of a chemical or biological threat. The gas mask distribution should have been done several years ago and has been delayed by bureaucracy here. It's not strictly preparation for war against Iran.

2. Pinpoint missiles - Note that I did not say no casualties - I said minimize casualties. It is of course the case that casualties are inevitable. But hopefully the element of surprise would ensure that we do not see hundreds or thousands of deaths (if Iran knows we're coming, they are likely to station 'martyrs' on the roofs of the facilities as was done in Gaza).

3. One of the panelists (Lally) pointed out that the facilities are underground. Not entirely yet. But the longer we delay the more significant facilities will be underground and will need bunker busters. As difficult as it may be to take the facilities out now, it is only going to get harder.

4. Route to get there - there are ways to get to Iran that don't involve overflying Jordan, Iraq or Saudi Arabia and that would not require a longer range than Israel's fighter jets have. Here's one possibility. Two years ago, I reported that Israel was storing planes in Georgia and Azerbaijan. And a month ago I reported that we are stationing jets in Cyprus.

5. Regarding reasons why Israel would want to attack soon - aside from the US election - there was an article in Sunday's Telegraph that addresses this point, which I blogged here.

6. A pity the host/interviewer left out (had to leave out?) my last comment about the Amos Yadlin piece in the New York Times. That spoke directly to the issue of why 2-3 years' delay is a worthwhile undertaking.

Hmmm.

Labels: Iranian nuclear threat, Israeli attack on Iran

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:45 PM